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DTH Photo Illustration/Justin Smith
A portrait of Cornelia Phillips Spencer hangs in Wilson Library. Last month, Chancellor James Moeser retired the Bell Award, given to significant female contributors to the University in honor of Spencer. This weekend, Moeser announced the formation of a committee that will examine whether UNC ought to bestow such an exclusive honor.
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Award panel will look inward
BY JENNY RUBY
ASSISTANT UNIVERSITY EDITOR
January 24, 2005
A positive solution to the controversy about the naming of a University award for women could be in sight now that Chancellor James Moeser has established a committee to examine the issue.
Moeser retired the Cornelia Phillips Spencer Bell Award, named after a University figure of the Reconstruction era, after questions arose regarding SpencerТs role as a white supremacist. The decision has drawn much criticism from SpencerТs descendents and members of the University community.
Now he is looking at a variety of options, including naming the award after SpencerТs descendents.
УIf the committee decides that we do need an award for women, I will ask them to consider the creation of an award to honor the outstanding service given to the University by a succession of members of the Phillips, Spencer and Love families,Ф Moeser states in a letter sent to SpencerТs family Thursday.
He said naming an award to honor SpencerТs descendents would recognize the familyТs long-standing commitment to the University and help alleviate the controversy.
УThe difference is that the Bell Award focuses on a specific moment in history,Ф Moeser said during an interview Sunday evening. УThatТs a very complicated part of our history. By focusing on the multigenerational aspects of the family, we focus on a much broader period of time.Ф
In response to the awardТs retirement, SpencerТs descendents requested that Moeser either reconsider his decision or oversee the removal of SpencerТs name from Spencer Residence Hall. The family also wanted funding for the renovation of the Love House to be redirected.
But after a meeting with Moeser last week, the family has decided to rescind its requests.
УThe chancellor seems to be committed to handling the entire situation in a favorable way,Ф said Charles Love, a great-grandson of Spencer and chairman of the Martha and Spencer Love Foundation. УWe anticipate a favorable outcome to the whole controversy that both clarifies Cornelia Phillips SpencerТs positive legacy and the UniversityТs approach in the future for dealing with historical revisionism.Ф
Moeser expressed his regrets in his letter for the pain the family has experienced because of the awardТs retirement. УThe last thing we wanted to do in ending the Bell Award was to condemn Cornelia Phillips Spencer or to erase her from our past,Ф he states.
The new committee will make recommendations about how UNC should honor influential women.
УI want to come up with an award that no recipient would be embarrassed to receive,Ф said Jane Brown, committee chairwoman and past Bell Award recipient. УThatТs what IТm interested in, creating an award that is clearly an honor and any recipient named would be proud to have.Ф
Moeser said he looks forward to the committeeТs recommendations and is hopeful about the opportunity to honor the familyТs legacy.
УI think we had some really good ideas about an award to honor multigenerations,Ф he said.
УThis is a family thatТs supported the University for several years.Ф
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
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